


I'm gonna start an uprising — of love

by SHSL_ex_SOLDIER



Series: You're beautiful like the rainbow [2]
Category: RWBY
Genre: F/F, Pride is Protest, Resist Together, happy pride!, here's one of them, if you ever wondered where the pride march fics where at, lgbtq+, this goes out to all of us, wrote this last year after attending my first pride march
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-21
Updated: 2020-06-21
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:01:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24832789
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SHSL_ex_SOLDIER/pseuds/SHSL_ex_SOLDIER
Summary: Weiss didn't come out of the closet just so other people could tell her to go back in. She was going to fight for love and this fight wasn't hers to fight alone.It took Weiss a long time to be finally proud of herself and now it was time for her to protest with the rest.
Relationships: Blake Belladonna/Yang Xiao Long, Jaune Arc/Pyrrha Nikos, Lie Ren/Nora Valkyrie, Ruby Rose/Weiss Schnee
Series: You're beautiful like the rainbow [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1796230
Comments: 6
Kudos: 46





	I'm gonna start an uprising — of love

**Author's Note:**

> This is a sequel to "I love you, I love you most, more now" so if you want to experience Weiss' journey fully, start there.
> 
> **To anyone who needed to read this, know that you are not alone in this fight. Whether you are fighting on the streets, at work, at school, in your own home, or from the closet, you are still fighting. It can be terrifying especially when it feels like the world is against you but that is precisely why we fight. So we don't have to feel this scared. We are all in this fight together. We are stronger than them and we deserve better, be proud!**
> 
> _Be brave, be kind, be who you are. We got your back, friend._

_I'm gonna start an uprising_ — _of love_

* * *

What comes after coming out?

It's strange. Coming out had been a strange experience for her in the sense that it wasn't just a singular experience.

She had come out to her father, although it was more of her father outing her, and her not taking any of his bigotry.

It wasn't something planned and if she had a choice, she would have preferred it without the drama. But out of the decisions she did get to choose, she chose herself. And with that, she left behind that toxic connection.

She had come out to her friends, although it felt as though it wasn't such a difficult revelation to them as it was to her.

She had a suspicion that they knew about herself being gay sooner than she figured it out herself. But they never decided that for her, instead they waited for her to sort it out first and then tell them herself. And for that, she was grateful.

She had come out to her sister and she was embraced with open arms.

That's still something she could not get over with. She had prepared herself for even the smallest chance of rejection but when she received acceptance and love instead, she knew she had made the right choice.

It's just been one experience after another, each unique and just as important. If anyone were to ask her what her coming out story was, she couldn't just pinpoint one specific memory.

And what of all the days prior? Weren't those days just as significant as the pinnacle memories themselves?

It sure felt like that to Weiss.

For someone who had been living in the closet for as long as she could remember, the days in the darkness, the struggle to gather the courage bit by bit— her whole life was a coming out experience.

Now that Weiss has opened herself to the world, her own world had started opening up too.

"Do you want to go to Pride with me?"

It's her first June since she embraced herself as gay. It's been a series of 'firsts' for almost a year now, some expected and some surprises. And though this was to be expected, it caught her off guard all the same.

This too was a first— her first invitation to Pride.

"Well, not just me. All of our friends are going too! I'm sure Jaune, Pyrrha, Ren, and Nora are going as a group. Yang and Blake are going too but they're still working on what time they'll be there. So us two could go there together first and meet up with the rest!"

And to top it off, she was being invited by her girlfriend. Her _girlfriend!_ Last year, she couldn't even imagine herself dating another woman, not with her father's surveillance. But well, a lot could happen in a year apparently, and thankfully for the better.

Here she was, embracing herself, having the love of her life embrace her back, and now they have this opportunity to go out and celebrate love with everyone else.

What was there to think about?

"That… That sounds lovely..."

So why?

"But I…"

Why…

Why was she hesitant still?

Weiss had always considered herself an advocate of Pride— even back when she wasn't quite out herself. She could never support it openly as a member of the community but she considered herself an ally and defended the people whenever the need arose in conversation.

She's never admitted it out loud but a part of her envied those that could attend Pride. Oh, how she admired their courage and respected their resolve. But she couldn't help but also wish that she could be there too.

And now she wasn't just an ally but a _member_ of the community. She could actually _be_ a part of Pride if she wanted to.

...Didn't she want to?

She was gay. She was out.

She was out to herself. She was out to her friends. She was out to her family.

But coming out to the _world?_ Putting herself out there?

Suddenly, she didn't feel as out as she thought she was.

"Sorry… Is it okay if I think about it first?"

She thought Ruby would have been disappointed by her hesitation. But Ruby has this habit of surprising her in wholesome ways. As her ever understanding partner even from before they were girlfriends, Ruby just gave her a patient smile and gave her hands a reassuring squeeze.

"That's totally okay! There's no rush or pressure! Remember what we _always_ say?"

This was okay. She was okay. They were okay.

And Weiss couldn't help the tender smile that only Ruby could pull out from her even in the most stressful moments.

"I know, I know. There's no pressure. I can do things whenever I'm ready."

She honestly thought that this time she was ready.

She has come so far ever since coming out but she supposes that she hasn't gotten far enough to have her hesitate now. It's… disappointing and perhaps pathetic if she were to be honest with herself.

"Weiiiiss! Stop. I can hear you thiiiink! Stop that. Don't overthink. We have the whole month to do that. Or did you already forget what you just told me?"

It was admittedly harder to think when her girlfriend was peppering her with the most affectionate of kisses. Weiss sighed in faux exasperation but the sparkle in her eyes told otherwise.

Ruby was right. She could think about this another day so for today, she's going to refocus her efforts on a certain someone who's been rather persistent.

"How could I forget? I'd never hear the end of it from you if I ever."

It was her turn to kiss and reassure her partner.

"I can do things at my own pace and that's what I plan to do."

Though Weiss knew from experience that some things never go according to plan and that some things couldn't be planned for.

But she hopes that whatever the case this was, it would work for the better.

* * *

One of the perks of coming out was that she could finally come by and talk to others about certain matters.

"Ruby asked me to go to Pride with her."

Certain _gay_ matters.

For this particular concern, Weiss thought it best to consult with someone affluent with matters regarding the fairer sex and Ruby.

"I'm sensing you didn't say yes and you're here seeking gay wisdom." Yang deduced from her perch on the upper bunk bed of their shared room. " _Lesbi-_ honest here, you don't look too cool, Weiss Queen."

This wasn't the first time that Weiss has sought out advice from the bombshell pansexual and _pun-_ romantic beauty— as Yang declared so herself.

The pun was unnecessary but like all puns with Yang, it was unavoidable.

"Must you always be so crass?"

"It's called communi- _gay_ -tion, something you need to work with."

Weiss scowled like she always did when someone was right and she wasn't. And like always, she would never admit it out loud and instead try to redirect the conversation.

"Hmph! If you must know, I haven't declined her offer."

"But you didn't take it either," Yang continued matter-of-factly.

Being shot with the truth instantly deflated whatever remains of her pride.

And without that wall, nothing prevented the slew of her too honest, if not too _vulnerable,_ words.

"I'm… I'm scared."

"Of what?"

She's grateful that for all of Yang's buffoonery, she had a great sense of comedic timing. That also meant she knew when it's in poor taste to throw in a punchline. Maybe that's part of why it was easier to open up to her about this.

"What's there to _not_ be scared of?"

She'd gathered enough courage to get this far but that didn't make her fears any less real.

"What if my parents see me in a coverage? I know I've already cut ties with them but doing that privately and to denounce them publicly, even if only implicitly, is on a different scale. Even I don't know the extent of backlash I'll face when that happens. And I don't want Ruby to get caught in that…"

Her parents aside, there were other more distressing factors to worry about. There's just a lot of things that could go wrong with this.

"What if... What if it gets _violent_?"

She had overcome her father's rejection and although it was difficult and it had hurt, she would heal. Unfortunately, her father wasn't the only one who had the same bigoted belief and although he was one of the most outspoken, he certainly wasn't the most... violent.

Hate crimes were a common occurrence— disturbingly so. They happen across Remnant especially during these events with deadly precision targeting the minority. There's no guarantee that they won't happen again this time.

And she feared the worst that could happen.

Because the worst _has_ happened before.

More than once. Each time inhumane.

The fact was that the possibility was all too _real_ and it terrified her. Rejection was one thing and violence was another, much, _much_ worse outcome.

Her hand unconsciously reached up to touch her own reminder scarring her face.

She didn't want to test if she could handle any more violence.

"Huh, can't say your fears are invalid. Those things do happen." Yang nodded solemnly which only solidified Weiss' dread.

That's just that then. Maybe going to Pride was a bad idea...

"But I don't think you should let those scary things hold you back either."

Weiss blinked. The sudden contradiction had her do a double take.

"And how exactly do I do that?" It was supposed to be a simple question but even she didn't expect the slight pleading in her tone. "You just told me that my fears are valid. With all things considered, how am I supposed to do that?"

"Um, no. You haven't exactly considered ALL things." Yang just shook her head. "Yeah, sure bad stuff could happen but have you thought about the other side to it too?"

"Other side?" Weiss hung onto her every word, searching for the answer that seemed so obvious to her friend. "What other side?"

Yang just gave her the most confident grin. "Just go for it."

Weiss waited for Yang to elaborate but…

No further explanation followed. That's just it.

Well this has to be the most vague wisdom even by Yang standards and Weiss was not impressed.

"You've got to be kidding me."

"No, I'm serious." Despite the smirk on Yang's face, it was less mocking and more of encouraging. "Just say 'fuck it' and go."

At this point, Weiss was starting to think if she should have gone to a different friend.

"You make it sound so easy."

"Oh, it's not. And it can even feel scary."

"Wow, this is definitely convincing me to go," Weiss' cheered with all the enthusiasm of plain sarcasm.

"You're just overthinking this. You can't really be sure what will happen so might as well do it, right? Sometimes you just gotta do stuff to find out for yourself."

"No offense but that sounds rather reckless."

"Listen to her, Weiss. Maybe if you listen closely you'll hear that it sounds wiser rather than it does reckless."

A third voice joined the conversation. That's when Weiss noticed another friend who just so happened to be out of sight from her angle. Looking up, she watched in surprise as another beauty emerged from behind the blonde brute.

"Blake?! How much did you— You know what? This is my fault for not checking first."

She should have known that Blake had to be close by Yang since this was their room and they were dating. After all, this wasn't the first time she had walked in on the two together. Thank goodness that they were clothed this time.

"Let's skip to the point. You probably heard most of that and it's not like I have any reason to hide this from you. Perhaps you have more enlightening wisdom to offer?"

Blake simply shrugged and leaned against her girlfriend. "I'm with Yang. Just go for it."

"Aww thanks, babe!" Yang crooned as she wrapped an arm around her and dropped a kiss on her forehead, which didn't go unappreciated by Blake.

And here Weiss thought that having another friend would have added another perspective to her troubles. It would seem that it only increased the room's capacity for flirting.

"...Well that was certainly enlightening."

Not at all if Weiss were being honest but she wasn't. She was however, being grateful.

"Thanks for hearing me out anyways. I'll just go and think about it some more with your… advice. I'll leave you two to your privacy."

But before Weiss could leave, Blake's words held her in place.

"If you're that worried about being recognized— which is totally valid, I get you— you can come wearing a cap and mask or go all out with a disguise if you want to be extra careful."

This was admittedly the most practical advice she's had and it wasn't over yet.

"If you're scared that something might happen, I understand why you might not feel like going." She paused. "But consider this…"

Only once Blake had regained Weiss' full attention, only then she continued.

"You'll be surrounded by other people going there for a reason."

You'll be surrounded by other people going there for the same reason as you.

You'll be surrounded by people who just wanted to love whoever they loved.

You'll be surrounded by love.

...At least that's what Weiss thought Blake had meant.

"And you're not going alone. You've got us! We've got your back!"

You'll be surrounded by the people who love you and who also wanted to celebrate love.

"Weiss, I'm gonna level with you." Yang dropped down to literally _level_ with her. Despite the pun, her seriousness did not drop along with her. "You don't have to go if you don't want to but…"

She knew where this conversation was leading to.

"But it looks to me that you _do_ want to go, don't you?"

And maybe Weiss already knew the answer even before the question was asked.

* * *

She had come to an impasse.

It wasn't that she didn't want to go to Pride nor that she couldn't go either. And yet…

Her hand reached up as if to touch a painful reminder, only to tremble at the last second and rest on her cheek, careful to avoid uneven skin.

Some fears would haunt her forever.

But...

She took a deep breath.

Forever was a long time. And she didn't want to be miserable forever.

Wasn't that why she had come out and defied her father in the first place? Because living in shame, living in hiding, living in _fear,_ was not living at all.

That's right. So what if things could get ugly? She's sick and tired of other people policing her life whether in some form or another. She's had enough of it.

She didn't defy her father just to have some bigoted strangers stop her from living her life.

It still terrified her to think of the worst possible outcomes. But she also thought that she would not be alone to face this. She thought of her friends who would be there too. She thought of her girlfriend who she knew would never leave her side not even for a second.

Just thinking of the people who she loves and who love her back, it didn't seem as scary as before.

Until she had come around eventually.

"Hey, Ruby… is it too late to accept your invite to Pride?"

When she saw her girlfriend's face light up, Weiss wished she had accepted sooner.

"It's never too late! We're right on your pace!"

But then again, it felt good to decide things in her own time.

* * *

Come rain or shine, this was happening.

"Oooohh, I'm so excited! Our first Pride together!"

Weiss wished she could share her girlfriend's enthusiasm, which she did to a certain extent, but the nerves were all hers. She had half the mind to back out numerous times on the way if only Ruby hadn't been holding her hand the whole time, sealing her fate.

The day started ordinarily enough. They went out together and it felt like any other date with Ruby. Except even Weiss could tell that today would be different.

Along the way, the scenery started to change— in a more colorful way.

A blend of pink and blue. A splash of blue and pink, and a streak of white. A gradient of red to violet. A dash of yellow, white, purple and black. A band of black, gray, white, and violet. So many colors coming together.

Until all the colors of the rainbow walked on the streets.

It was enchanting to see all of these people come together to celebrate love.

And Weiss was here as one of them too.

"Hey! Weissicle! Get your frozen ass over here!" Yang called them over as soon as they arrived. She wore her flag proudly on her back, the yellow streak not to be outdone by her golden hair.

"Good to see another newbie here." Jaune welcomed them with an easygoing smile. He didn't have any flags on him but he did rock a flowery blouse and a bunny hairpin.

"Oh, is it your first time attending this too?" Weiss asked mostly because it would be less daunting to know she wasn't the only one.

"Me? Nah, I'm more like a regular… if that's even a thing." He chuckled meekly. "Back home, my seven sisters practically made it a family thing to attend every year. Obviously this year I'm attending here and with friends instead so I guess that I'm technically a newbie too, geographically speaking that is."

"I see..." She couldn't imagine being here before today much less imagine what it's like for someone who's been going since they were a child. "Wait. Then who else is attending their first Pride?"

"Hello there. This is actually my first time attending. I hope you don't mind a straight ally joining the march." Pyrrha waved the rainbow flaglet she had in one hand.

"Of course we don't mind! All allies are welcome to Pride!" Ruby cheered.

"Unfortunately, there will also be a few foes lurking so exercise caution just in case," Ren warned. He had his flag painted on the back of both of his hands. "But try not to worry too much. There is strength in our numbers."

"Yeah!" Nora hollered.

Out of everyone, she had gone all out. Rainbow top, rainbow skirt, rainbow socks. The only thing that wasn't a rainbow was her makeup and even that was because she had her flag painted instead on both cheeks like 'warrior blush on' as she so proudly called it.

"If anyone tries to pull anything that isn't love, we're gonna break their legs!"

"No, we are not. We are going to report them to security."

"And then break their legs!"

"No. No leg breaking... But a little intimidation wouldn't hurt anyone."

"We'll break their legs! But only a little!"

It was always a relief to know that the force of nature called Nora was on their side and that her impulse control named Ren was always beside her.

"As you can tell, you're in good company," Pyrrha pointed out with a laugh which was joined by the rest.

"Glad you could be here with us, Weiss," Blake welcomed her last with a pat on her shoulder. Her rainbow armband was a bright contrast to her dark ensemble.

"I wouldn't have missed it for the world," Weiss said, her voice no longer held her prior days' hesitation.

Because this was where she wanted to be.

And with the people she wanted by her side.

They were a colorful group of friends. That meant that they didn't exactly blend well all the time. But when they did, they blended in color harmony. After all, it was never about their differences but rather finding out that they actually had more in common. And together, they discovered a greater spectrum of colors.

And out of all the colors she's seen so far, RWBY and JNPR were her favorites.

* * *

This just might be her most colorful adventure she has braved so far.

Weiss had always been aware of Pride but to experience it firsthand was on a whole new level. The pictures didn't do it justice. It was a spectrum of colors and people.

People from all walks of life came here to _march._

There were young adults and there were even kids. There were a lot more kids than she expected and it was a pleasant surprise. The youngest she spotted looked to be a four year old daughter and held a sign of how proud she was to have two moms. She was of course accompanied by her parents and the fact that they were attending as a _whole family_ left a soft but strong imprint on Weiss.

There were adults too, and even the more aged came. She didn't know how old were the oldest couple of grannies she saw but she did know just how much her heart soared at seeing them together for so long.

Even the handicapped came and that was on another level of respect. It had been raining a bit which made for muddy ground but that didn't stop the girl in the wheelchair from coming or the boy with crutches. And what more of the people who weren't obviously ill? They still came here strong and proud. And they also had their friends with them which only made them stronger.

And this was just the part of the crowd where the people were just hanging around in their own small circles. There was also a different type of crowd among the people, a more openly affectionate kind.

Rainbows weren't the only things being shared. Hugs too.

There were people here who came specifically to give hugs to practically strangers. It was… an absurd concept. One that Weiss couldn't quite grasp yet despite Ruby happily accepting and reciprocating every hug offered. But that's just a Ruby thing to do. Weiss didn't see the appeal of hugging a stranger.

That was until she saw a particular set of people.

"Whatcha looking at, Weiss—" Ruby's words stopped just like how Weiss' steps did when her eyes landed on what's before them. "Oh."

Free Mom Hugs. Free Dad Hugs.

"Well…" Ruby placed a gentle hand on her girlfriend's shoulder, careful so as not to startle her. "Do you wanna ask for a hug?"

"I… I don't know," Weiss answered honestly with a shaky breath.

This was all too much and all too sudden.

"A part of me wants it but… some other part of me also doesn't want it... Does that make sense?"

"Not really. I mean, a lot of things don't make sense in general." Ruby shrugged. "But that kind of stuff sounds pretty normal. Annoying and confusing sure, but normal."

 _Normal._ When was the last time Weiss was referred to as such?

"Hey, it's okay to want something or maybe not want something, or both at the same time."

Ruby was right. That didn't make sense at all. And Weiss didn't like being indecisive either so that just added to her frustration.

"But at least for now," Ruby squeezed her shoulder just enough for Weiss to release some of her tension. She needed that for the incoming follow up, "Do you feel up to getting a hug?"

Weiss only heard the question with cotton in her ears. She was still transfixed at the sight before her and now even more so at the events unfolding.

Another girl around her age was hugging one of the moms. Weiss couldn't help but overhear bits of a teary confession on parents who had rejected her. She didn't expect this mother, who was surely not this girl's own, to tenderly hold her and reply words of affirmation.

" _Always love who you are."_

It was hard to hear over the noise of everything else but Weiss heard it. And although the words weren't directed to her specifically, she felt as though the woman said it as if it was meant for everyone.

For every person who _needed_ to hear it.

The heartwarming scene started to blur. And Weiss had to pry her eyes away, wiping them before she could look at her girlfriend again.

She would never forget this. But she was also not ready to process this right now.

"Maybe… Maybe I'll pass for now."

Her hand reached up to squeeze Ruby's. The comforting gesture was meant more for herself but her girlfriend understood enough.

"Yeah, okay! You can always try next year! Or the year after that!"

It never occurred to Weiss that they could attend again next year. She's still caught up with her first year and it's not even over yet.

Still, the idea of there being a next time was comforting— uplifting even.

"Oh, wow! Look, Weiss! You'll _love_ this one!" Ruby dragged her along before Weiss could even see what got her so excited.

But when Weiss saw, she understood. She understood with great excitement too.

Free Dog Hugs.

This time Weiss didn't even hesitate. She didn't even have to be asked. Without missing a step, she went ahead and hugged the dog with the rainbow bandana to the fullest.

Not everything has to be complicated. This hug surely was a testament to that. And Weiss was grateful for the pup's owners for bringing them and sharing the furball love. It was just a hug but it made a difference to Weiss' day.

Sometimes, it's the smallest acts of love that have the greatest impact.

* * *

Other times, it took greatness to leave a lasting impression.

She had expected to see a number of activist groups and she was not disappointed. After all, there were still places where their love wasn't just socially frowned upon, it was downright illegal. Utterly preposterous!

They shouldn't have to fight for their rights but they would if they have to. And they were fighting _strong._

"Would you like to help our cause?"

Easier done on paper than anything else. And that's the most Weiss could offer right now— a signature for the same sex marriage bill that they were lobbying for. But that didn't mean she wouldn't contribute more later on.

This was a year of firsts, after all. Perhaps later when she has a more solid commitment, she might offer more than just basic support.

So for now, she gave them her signature, her ear, and her own promise to give it some serious thought.

Time passed by quickly and before she knew it, the time had come for the much anticipated event. The march was about to start so they went to regroup with the others.

They weren't the only ones who had the same idea except these other groups took it on a much larger scale.

It was more organized than she imagined. She thought that the march was just that, a mere collection of people in a parade. But as she found out, the march was segregated according to organizations. The most surprising part of it was that not all of the groups were strictly LGBTQ+ related.

Groups of minorities from all walks of life came here to join the march.

"I didn't know there were other groups attending the march too," Weiss commented louder than she thought.

"Well, yeah. I mean, why not?" Yang shrugged as if it wasn't a big deal and it truly wasn't. She smirked. "Why kick them out when we could all just kick ass together?"

"Are you tired of being nice? Don't you just wanna go Beringel shit?" Nora brandished her flagpole as if it were a hammer about to strike down with justice.

"These people feel the same frustration. There is purpose with every step here." Ren agreed with the sentiment albeit more calmly.

"Everyone here has loved and lost in one way or another," Pyrrha added with a faraway look. "And we're all uniting so that we don't have to lose any more than we already have."

"We're all fighting for the same rights. The rights we all deserve," Jaune seconded with steel in his voice.

"Pride isn't just a celebration but there's that too," Blake interjected, she sounded tired from fighting for so long but she didn't sound the least bit defeated. "More importantly, we're here because Pride is a protest."

"And that's why we're here, why we're _all_ here!" Ruby finished off with a cheer.

Weiss understood. They weren't the only groups discriminated against. There were others too and rather than deny them this opportunity to voice out their rights, they extended a hand from one oppressed group to another.

This wasn't their fight alone and they weren't fighting alone either. They're all rallying together.

Everyone here was marching for something bigger than themselves.

And this was their _Pride._

Meanwhile, Weiss felt her own reasons to be… insincere.

The people who came here, they came here not just to march, they came here to _fight._ It was called Pride for a reason and that reason was because they came out here unashamed— which was more than Weiss could say for herself.

Although she had gotten past her own issues of shame, the fact was that there was still that residual fear holding her back.

She may have discarded the face mask earlier but she still hasn't taken off her cap. At that thought, she reached up to tug the bill of her cap even lower to cover half of her face. If she's doing this, she'd prefer if she did this anonymously.

Ruby was holding her other hand— firm enough to ground her but also loose enough for Weiss to let go should she ever choose to back out.

She had _every_ opportunity to back out and yet…

She's still here. Whether consciously or not, she chose to _stay_ at every chance to retreat.

Now she's about to take the first step of her first Pride march.

To be honest, she's still not that confident going in but she decided that it shouldn't matter. Confident or not, she was here. That much should speak for itself.

And she was here to join the voices speaking out for love.

"Happy Pride!"

There were cheers but there were also flashes. Too many flashes for her comfort.

No amount of bravado could mask her initial shock. More than that, she was _terrified._ She had expected the cameras but she obviously had not prepared for them, certainly not enough. Everywhere she looked, someone was already pointing one at them.

Publicity and cameras have never been cooperative for her. Growing up in her family's spotlight, every worst case scenario filled her head and panic soon consumed her body. This was not okay.

"Happy Pride!"

But she stayed. Despite every fiber of her being telling her otherwise, she stayed. She could have turned back but instead she soldiered on, not because she had to but because she _wanted_ to.

As conflicting as that sounded, it was also just as much true.

"Happy Pride!"

And with each genuine cheer received, so too did her own cheers grow bolder.

"Happy Pride!"

The repetition. The consistent validation. The positive reinforcement that this was a good thing happening. The internalization of that extrinsic affirmation. The eventual acceptance.

Maybe if Weiss had done this alone, it would have been different. But she wasn't alone. She was with her friends and they were marching along with so many people who were here for the same reason.

It wasn't just less terrifying with other people, it was _encouraging._

Even when there were others there who came just to spit on their love. Weiss saw that there were always other people, a _greater_ number of people, who were on their side and stood against those haters.

The world won't change over just one march.

But for the people who attended, for the people who came to see, for the people who couldn't come but stood for their cause all the same—

It made a world of difference.

The Pride march may have ended but its people march on.

* * *

Where do all the colors go after the march?

Some would keep them on, loud and proud, they wore it still as if they were second skin. Most who came to march, also marched home with rainbows still radiant.

But as for the rest, they had to wash it all away.

They had to wash away the incriminating evidence— it wasn't a crime but to be caught with such evidence, they would be treated as if they were criminals anyways.

That's what Weiss witnessed when she stopped by the washrooms before heading home. Most of the girls came here to wash off the glitter, that rainbow glamor. Unfortunately, water was not so effective against the makeup.

And as Weiss saw in heartbreaking clarity, tears made no difference either.

She understood all too well why this was happening. After all, if she hadn't walked out on her father before this, she would probably be among these girls—

Afraid. Ashamed. Closeted. _Persecuted._

It wasn't fair. Nobody deserves to feel like this. Nobody deserves to feel less just for being who they were.

She had offered them all of the makeup remover wipes she had on her. The others started sharing too and it was amazing to be a part of the camaraderie unfolding but… but it wasn't enough for everyone.

Far too many people were here trying to hide in shame, in fear.

So Weiss took out all of the lien she could spare and bought all of the wipes she could from the nearby convenience store. Finally these were enough for the girls present at the time, and there were a few to spare. But she knew there would always be more to come.

She wished she could do more.

She wished it didn't have to be like this.

But she also knew she could do so much more than just wishing.

And so her heart drummed to a march that hasn't quite ended yet for her.

* * *

What comes after the rainbow?

The soreness. That's the most urgent if not most annoying one of all. But Weiss could live with it. She didn't realize just how much gusto she had been marching with yesterday until her muscles started their own protest today.

It was worth every ache.

A lot had happened yesterday and she had the rest of the year to process this. But for now, she could use the rest.

Maybe it was more accurate to say that those experiences weren't over for her just yet. After all, she still had a backlog from yesterday. Weiss was so caught up with yesterday's Pride that she had neglected her phone all day.

So it surprised her to see that Winter had texted.

_Dearest Weiss,_

_Apologies for not contacting you sooner. It has slipped my mind that Pride is an event to be celebrated and for this year, it is to be celebrated today. I understand how relevant this event is to you especially now with our recent talks._

_Will you be attending over there? I sincerely apologize for the poor planning on my part since I cannot attend there with you. It is a crime that there are no available flights that will connect from Atlas to Vale in time for Pride. Please do note that I fully support your endeavor. I shall do you better and I hope for us to celebrate together next year._

_Weiss, I love you and I am proud of you, never question that. I am happy to see you have been your happiest lately._

_Carry on and please, do take care of yourself. I hope to hear about your day soon._

_With utmost love,_

_Winter_

Weiss couldn't help but smile. It wasn't just because Winter texted as if she were writing a letter from an outdated era, although that factored in too. It was because her sister had cared.

She had cared enough to contact her first.

It had honestly slipped her mind to inform her sister about her attendance to this year's Pride. Although it was a bit late, Winter had thought to reach out first and that spoke volumes of her sister's love.

And while Weiss appreciated that, she would also love to hear her own sister's voice speak.

_Hello, Winter. Sorry for not replying. I was out the whole day... Is now a good time to call?_

Once she had answered Winter's call, all she heard was love.

As she was retelling yesterday to her sister, there was one particular memory that bothered her. She had experienced so much love yesterday and she was fortunate enough to still be loved for who she was for the rest of her days.

But what of the others?

What of the girls she saw rubbing at their faces so hard that they'd rather have bruises than go home with rainbows on their skin? What of the couples who just wanted the same marriage rights as granted upon the others but were denied for superficial reasons? What of every person who has been discriminated against just for being different?

What of every person who was suffering just for being themselves?

"Is something wrong, Weiss?"

There was no easy way to answer her sister's concerned question. More often than not, reality could be so cruel. It was despairing, the way things were for them, but it was also frustrating and oh, so _infuriating._

How _dare_ they? How dare they step on _their_ rights as if they had the higher moral ground?

Weiss would _not_ stand for it.

"Actually there is. There is something wrong. No, there's a lot of things wrong. There is _so much_ wrong in this world— wrongs that we have to correct ourselves."

They weren't the ones born wrong, it's the world that's wrong and should be fixed.

There was so much work to do— work that she knew she might not even see accomplished by the end of her life but that didn't make it any less necessary. If anything, it only made her more determined.

She had come a long way and had come out stronger. But she also acknowledged that she had only gotten strong enough because of the people who gave her strength.

Now it was her turn to empower those that could not speak out.

It took Weiss a long time to finally be proud of herself and now it was time for her to protest with the rest.

So what if her name didn't have any lien to it anymore? As worthless as her family name was now, maybe it wasn't completely useless. And even without her name, she could still make an effort as a person.

Maybe she could even make a difference.

"And I want to help... Will you help me?"

No, not just maybe. Uniting with others, they would make a difference, _definitely_.

It was worth a try, because _they_ were worth it.

* * *

Weiss had overcome what's holding her back in life.

Coming out was just the first step in the rest of her forever.

Now it was time to come forth—

And come together.

**Author's Note:**

> **This is a call for the part of Pride that doesn't normally get touched in fics. The title of the fic is a lyric from the song Uprising of Love by Melissa Etheridge which was written as a protest song calling out on the hate while still speaking of the love we're fighting for. Love is love.**
> 
> This was written from personal experiences from me, from my friends, and from strangers that I don't know personally but I consider them as comrades in this fight. There's no universal Pride experience but I think this one was relatable enough to share what I was going for. I wanted to impart two messages. The first one being,
> 
> **"You can't teach me how to hate me because I learned to love myself."**
> 
> As touched in the previous oneshot, it's just so hard to love yourself when the world conspires to hate on you. But slowly, hopefully, eventually, you do love yourself. And that process is such a complex road that for some people, it could take days, months, years, or a lifetime even. So when you finally learn to love yourself, sometimes a single comment or a single person could easily threaten to shatter all that work. But we shouldn't. No, we won't give them the satisfaction.
> 
> We worked so hard to get this far and we won't let anyone else step on all of our progress. We won't stand for it because we are standing up for ourselves. And I hope you felt that too. As for the second message that is,
> 
> **"Learning to love yourself, and finally coming out to be honest not just with yourself but with other people about yourself— it doesn't end there."**
> 
> When I finally came out, it made me happy. It also got me thinking. Now that I was happier, I realized just how miserable I was. And that there were others, far TOO MANY people out there, who are still miserable and suffering. It hurt so much to be stuck in where I used to be and I didn't want anyone else to feel that. But the reality was that this was all too common. That's why we fight. This is our fight.
> 
> You have rights, the same rights as everyone else as human beings. Fight for them. You can and should stand up and fight if you can, in whatever way you can fight the hardest. Fight for yourself, fight for your friends and family, fight for the strangers you haven't met but know they deserve just as much, fight for those who can't fight back.
> 
> _Be proud of who you are. Stand together with everyone else for who we are and for what we rightfully deserve._
> 
> _Our love is stronger than their hate. We shall resist together._


End file.
